Machine for planing helical gears



E. H. CARROLL April 7, 1925. 1,532,378

MACHINE FOR PLANING HELICAL GEARS Filed March 31, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 7,1925. 1,532,313

E H. CARROLL MACHINE FOR PLANING HELICAL GEARS Filed March 31, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES ELBERT HJCABROLL, OF \VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO'R TO MORGAN CON- 1,532,378 PATENT OFFICE.

STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A C'QRPORATION 0E MAS SACHUSETTS. Y

- 5: MACHINE FOR'PLANIHG HELICAL GEARS.

' Application'filed March 31, 1921'. Serial No. 157,39 8.

To all whom it may concern-x Be it known that I, ELBERT H. CARROLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Worcester andforming teeth on gear wheels by the use of reciprocating cutting tools cooperating with a simultaneously operated .work holding device. I

In my copending patent applicationSe. rial No. 2 17,0243, filed July 27, .1918, there is shown and described a machine for forming spiral gear teeth which embodies a particular arrangement of mechanism for op-' erating the tool moving and work rotatingdevices,.whereby to render; the machine substantially universal in its action incutting helical teeth of any desired angularity on blanks of different diameters.

By the present invention, I propose to provide a machine of the above described type with a novel arrangement of cutting devices, whereby the work may be operated upon by more. than one cutting tool. My invention further provides an improved tool holder by means of which the tools may be readily adjusted and securely held in un1sonwith d fferentspeed relations forms position for operating with any desired angularity of cut. These and other advantageous features of'my invention will hereinafter more fully appear, reference. being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention. V

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view partially in section showing my improved tool holder.

Figure 3 is an end view of the tool holder shown in Fig. 2. s Figure 41 is a side lookingin the direction of the work.

Figure 5 is a side View of the tool holder looking away from the work.

Figure 6 is a sectional view line 66, Fig. 3.

Figure 7 s a plan view showing a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

along the Like reference characters refer to like partsin the different figures. I

Referring to Fig. 1, a mandrel 1 is rotatably mounted at one end inbearings2 ex tending upwardly from a'base plate 3, and at its other end in a pedestal bearing 41. A blank carrier is mounted on the inandrel 1 for supporting gear blanks 6, 6.

Tool tables 7 and 7 are arranged on opposite sides of the mandrel 1 and are supportedon suitable ways 8. Tool slides 9 and 9 are mounted on the tables 7 and are adapted to travel on suitable ways 10 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis XX of the mandrel 1. Screw shafts 11 and 11 are provided on the tables 7 and? between the ways 10 and are connected to a shaft 12, extending across the base 3, by gearing 13, so that the tool slides 9 are adapted to be driven in unison therefrom. The shaft 12 is connected to a main driving shaft 1 1, coupled to an electric motor 15, by suitable gearing enclosed in a housing 16.

A second shaft 17 is connected to the drive shaft 14 by gearingalso located within the housing 16, and. the mandrel 1 is adapted.

to be driven from .the shaft 17 by means of a worm, not shown,and a worm wheel 17 The particular arrangement of gearing within the housing 16' by means of which thejshafts 12 and l7 may be-driven in I Referring now to Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, there 1s shown in detail one of the improved I tool'holders which are mounted on the slides view of the tool holder 9 and 9. Each slide is adapted to be moved back and forth on the ways lOby means of the screw shaft 11 which passes through a nut 18 carried by the slide. An upwardly extending cross feed slide 19 is adapted for lateral movement on the horizontal slide 9 bymeans of ascrew shaft 20 extending through the slide 19 and in threaded engagement therewith. The shaft is providedat itszouter end iwitlra handle 21, by means of which the shaft "20 maybe turned to move the slide 19 upon the slide 9. Stops 22yarearrangedin the path Q' 111OVQ- ment of the handle 21, sothat the handle 21 will be turned when it engages either of the stops 22 during the movement of the slide 9. The handle 21 is COADQCtG'ChItO. the shaft 20 by a suitable ratchet and pawl device, so that its eneagement by thestops 22' will turn the shaft 20 only in one direction of rotation to cause the slide. 19't'o move across the slide 9, as the-latter travels-back and -f'o'rth on the wayslt).

'l heslide 19- is' provided with a central opening 23 into whiclrpro-jects screw stud" 21 adjust-ably mounted on the slide-9, as will'he hereinafterdeseribed' The stud 24; is provided ith ears25 between whichis rot at'ably inou-nted a roller 26. A vertical fee; Al ie 27' is mounted-tor-lnovementon the sirde 19 and 1s provided-wvith a lug-28 which n'ojeot-s' into the opening- 23 and carries a cam orformer29. The former; 29 rests on the roller'26; sothat the slide 27 will he movedivertically on the slide 19 as the latter is moved across the slide 9. Anarn 30-," pivotally mounted on the slide" 19 at 31, is provided with a; plunger 32 that holes the former' 29' in engagement} with" the roller 26 by means of a weight 33:

The verticaljteed slide 27"is provided with a hollow cylindrieal portion -34lwithirrwhiclt is mounted a cylindrical tool base 35; The portion 341 is split, as shown at 36, andthe base is adapted tobe held tlrerein by means of bolts' 37 'vvli iclr drawthe halves of the split pertion-3atogether; Index. marliii'i-gs are provided on the-portion 34, as shown at 34 to indicate the" angular p'osi: t-ionof-"the base'3'5; Theslide '2-7I'is further providedl'witli-a' -semicircular-seat 38*ha ving;

the same center of -curvature asthe cylin (liitcl portion-3st. The toolbase35 is provided with acurved portion 89 -wlr-ich afits: in-

the seat, 38 and is provided wi-t'hl an end" ii =40 extending beyond the seat 38'. Y A; conical surface 40*is provided inside the thin and" is adapted to be; held-"inwed g ing engagement with asimilar conical sur= face- 38% provided at the end of the seat 3% by means of a clamping plate-35". which tion 34to'draw the tool bfasei3'5 longitudinally therein:

A'- liin ge block 4-1 is mounted on the por tion 39 ot theb'ase 35 and isprovided with an opening-42 within which a' clapper' block 4S iis-pivotally mounted" bymeans of' a b l 44; A too-Lasts carried by-the clappenlil' -k- 43 and is-adapted to b'e secu-red' in position thereonby meansohbolts 43 Tl'i'e -clapp erb'IOClj't?) is adapted to engage tl'i ehingeblock 41 when the tool td-engagies the work at the beginning of" its cutting stroke, but is the machine;-

free. i30 'it11111 ab'outiits pivot 443011 the: hinge" block 11" uponthe returnstroke ot the tool45. V

Fromtheforegoing; description ofthe. parts of thetool holder, it is-apparent that each tool 45 is adapted to have movement in three directions during the operation of The h'orizontal movement of the slide 9 results in lateral movement of the crossteed slide lfi) at the end of each cutting stroke, which movement of the slide 19 in turn causes movement of "the-vertical ii'eed'slide' 27' througlnthe former 29,- the combined movements of all three slides de term-ining-the depth andtorm of the gear teeth.

Reterringhow to Fig-z 1, the tool slides 9 and 9 area-Hanged so that;- the tools" 15 and 45 are adapted to cut from the outside ed'ges of the blanks 62 -a-:1d"6- toward the space between the blanks, and asthe slides are then driven in the-same direction on th'e wayslO by the shaft 12, the tools are adapted to cut alternately With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, tool" 15=has just-'finishedits cutting stroke tromrigh-t to left, while tool 45' is just about to start its-cut ir0m left to right. In this way, one tool is always cutting during movement of thesli'des 9 and 9, and'eaehtool is adapted to form teethonits blank independently of the-operationotthe-"other tool: My improved arrangement ofcutting devices thusnot on-ly results inanincreased production-- ior the machine-due to continuous cutting; during movement of 'the toolsli d'es, but also permits teeth to be: cut ondifferent gearblan-ks indepe-ndently o-t each" other; Ohiviouslythe application otmy invention may be extendedi by increasing the 7 number of? blankscarried onth'emandrel 1 and thenumber of tool slides '9' mounted on the tables 7i It" is' alse apparentthat eithen straightspur or h elical' teeth' may be (1113' by the'tools:

Reierring again -to- Fig. 1 the'tool tables- 7 and 7" are adaptedto be, moved sideWisewith respect 'to thema-ndiell-by means of screw shafts 46 extending between theways 8. The shafts 46 are conneoted' -tosuitable sources of power, such as-electric moto-rsfiT,- by means of gearingAS and cross shafts't). The gearing; 13 which connects the shafts 11 and 11 of the tool tables? and 7 to the shaft 12 iscarriedn onbrackets 59 extending from the tool tables 7, the driving'gears b'e-- ing connected' to the shaft 12 "by sliding-Elwyways so that the entiregea-rin-g 13 will imove with-the tool table's'f'a'nc '7" when eitherzone of the latter is shii-t'ted.ton-the-v ways 8*preparato-ry to n-ionnting blank 'on the mandrel 1.

Referring: now t-o i Fig. 7', the gearing: '13 carri'ed' by each bracket ESQ-comprisesa pairof bevel gears 51 and 52 mounted on a slide able sleeve 53 keyed to the shaft 12. The sleeve 53 is adapted to be positioned between bearings.5 .-and by means of a spacing collar 56, so that one of the gears 51 and 52 is always held in mesh'with a bevel pinion 57 mounted on the end of the shaftll. By

means of this arrangement, it is possible to drive the shafts 11 andll either in .the same direction of rotation, as previously described with reference to Fig. 2, or in the opposite direction of rotation, it only being necessary to shift the sleeves 53 in order to mesh the proper gear with the pinion 57. In this way the tools 15 and 45 may be caused to travel in the same direction and cut alternately, or they may be caused to travel in opposite directions and cut simultaneously. The'screw shafts 11 and 11 are adapted to cause reciprocation of the tool slides '9 and 9 in either direction, at substantially the same rate of movement, thereby insuring uniformity in the operation of the tools 45 and 45.

The tools 45 and 415 are adapted to be positioned for. any desired angle of cut by means of the angularly adjustable tool bases 35. It is obvious that each tool base 35 may be turned bodily within the cylindrical por-' tion 34 in order to give any desired angularity to the. cutting edge of the tool, after which the base may be securelyfixed in posi tion by the clamping plate 35 and the bolts 37. The wedging action between the conical surfaces 38 and 10 prevents the base 35 from turning after it has once been adjusted, for any tendency of the base to turn while the tool is cutting, only causes it to bewedged in position more tightly.

The former 29 may also be readily adjusted or changed by means of a lifting screw 51, as best shown in Fig. 6. The screw 51 is in threaded engagement with the lug 28 which carries the former 29 and is provided at its upper end with a handle 52 and a shoulder The former 29 may be lifted off of the roller 26 by turping the screw 51 into the lug 28 until the shoulder 53 engages the top portion 5 1 of the slide 19, whereupon further turning of the handle 52 will cause the whole vertical feed slide 27 to be raised. The height of the roller 26 may be adjusted for dilferent formers by turning an adjustment collar 55 in threaded engagement with the stud 24:. The stud 24 is adapted to be locked against turning after such an adjustment by means of clamping bolts 56, provided on a split base 57 into which the stud 24 extends. Y r

.The above described arrangement of parts the roller 26 is mounted solidly upon the I, horizontal slide 9, and is, therefore, well adapted to bear the strain of lifting the vertical. slide 27 and its tool l1olding:devices. From the foregoing it is apparent that I- have provided a machine for cutting helical or spur gears that is extremely flexible in its operation, and islparticularly adapted for the rapid cutting of. gear teeth on one or more blanks at the same time. The provisionof tool tables on opposite sides of the work supporting mandrel also results ina- Well balanced. machine in which the tools are adapted to out either alternately or simultaneously and in either direction of movement of thetool slides. My improved tool holder embodying an angularly erate with any desired angularity of cut,

with the assurance that thetool will not changeits position duringtthe cutting.

VVlnle I have shown the various features 'of my invention in connectionv with a gear plication, my invention is not so limited,

for its severalfeatures mayas well be embodied in; any other machine for cutting gear teeth. I desire therefore that only such 'limitationsmay be imposed thereon as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a rotary blank carrier, a blank mounted thereon and a reciprocating tool slide, of a tool base carrying a tool for engagement with the blank, the said tool base being turnable bodily about an axis passing through the cutting point of said tool at right angles to the line of movement of the slide.

2. In a machine of the class described, a tool holding device comprising a slide and a tool base having a cylindrical portion turnable on said slide about an axis atright angles to said slide,.the axis of said cylindrical portion passing through the cutting point of the tool.

3. Ina machine of the class described, a tool holding device comprising a slide, a tool base having a cylindrical portion turnable on said slide, and means for moving said tool base longitudinally, at right angles to said slide.

4. In a machine of the class described, a tool holding device comprising a slide, a 'tool base having a cylindrical portion turnable within a seat provided on said slide, and means for moving said tool base longitudinally along its scatto secure it against turning movement within said seat.

5. In a machine of the class described, a tool holding device comprising a slide, a tool adjustable tool base'makes it possible to ops I lI-l; base having: acylindrical portion turnable within a. seat provided on said slide, the said'base and the slide havingopposed ponical surfaces, and means for moving said tool base along its'se'a-t to bring-said'conicalzsurable'within a" seat providedion" said slide,

the said base and'it-he'slide having; opposed? conical sui'liaces concentric about; the longi tudinal axis of said: seat, and means; for moving" saidb'ase axially to bring said coni= cal surfaces in wedgingz' engagement 7. In' almachine of the class described, the combination with a tool holding deyice com prising-a horizontally movable slide; a: cross slide adapted lorlatera l movement thereon and a vertically n'iovableslide" adapted tomove withsaidicrossislide of-a lroller mountedon saidwhorizontal slide,' and'a former mounted on said'vertical'slide in e-ngagementi with saidd'oller; whereby lateral move-- ment'i ofsaid cross slides cause's movement'i of said vertical slide; 7 j

8. In a machine of theclassdescrib'ed, the combination with a tool h'olc'ling device com prising a horizontallyinovableslide; a cross slide "adapted for la-t'eral' movement thereon I and vertically movable" slide adapted to move with saidlcross slide; of a:vertically adjustable roller mounted onsaid horizontal slide; a eformei" mountednon said Vertical slide and! held inengagement. with said: roller; and means carried by said cross slide forliftingsaid former out of engagement with saidxroller. V

9 Inamachine of the class described; the combination with a rotatingactuating member and a rotary blank carrier, of toollslides arranged to travel on opposite sides oi and parallel tOEtliG rotational: axis of said car' rim-, and means for connectingxsaid" slides to said actuatingmember'so as to'be simul-' taneously moved in either" the; same orin opposite"directions.

10. In: a machine-of the class described, thecombiniation with" a fotating actuating, member, a; blank carrierand screw shafts arrangedi on opposite sides of said'blank carrien for moving cutti-n tools; of gearing for connecting said screw shafts to" said i ac tuating member, whereby said screw shafts may be simultaneously drivenin either the same or" in the opposite direction ol rotation.

Dated thisenn day o-f'MarcP 192i.

- ELBERTHL onnnonn Witnesses IYIELARD A; WINN, Mi OLIVE GROSS; 

